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WSJ BLOG/Health: A.M. Vitals: Countering Discount Drug Cards

(This story has been posted on The Wall Street Journal Online's Health Blog at http://blogs.wsj.com/health.) By Stefanie Ilgenfritz Here's what's making health news this morning: CVS Caremark Keeps Heat on Drug-Maker Discount Cards (WSJ): The increasingly popular cards give patients a break on higher copays for branded drugs at the pharmacy counter. But because health plans typically foot most of the bill, they can get pinched by higher costs behind the scenes. For Some, Exercise May Increase Heart Risk (NY Times): By analyzing data from six rigorous exercise studies involving 1,687 people, a group of researchers found that about 10 percent actually got worse on at least one measure related to heart disease: blood pressure and levels of insulin, HDL cholesterol or triglycerides; the researchers say they do not know why. Old People Smell Different, but Not Bad (Washington Post): A study, published in the journal PLoS ONE, says that people' s skin biology and chemistry change as they age, which may account for changes in the way their skin smells. New York City Plans to Restrict Big-Size Soda Sales (WSJ): The mayor is proposing an amendment to the city health code to prohibit food-service establishments from selling sugary drinks in cups or containers larger than 16 ounces, arguing that sugary drinks have led to rising obesity rates for New Yorkers. 'World No Tobacco Day' Helps People Consider Quitting, Research Says (LA Times Booster Shots Blog): Researchers from the Informatics Program at Children's Hospital Boston and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health monitored news promoting the stopping of smoking in seven Latin American countries and found that the May 31 awareness day, created by WHO states, promotes awareness and interest in quitting. -For continuously updated news from The Wall Street Journal, see WSJ.com at http://wsj.com.